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Effectiveness Of Exclusive Breastfeeding In The Development Of Under 5 Children
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of Study
Infant
feeding methods are a major determinant of infant nutritional status,
which in turn, affects infant morbidity and mortality. Among feeding
methods, breastfeeding is of particular importance because this practice
is fundamental for growth, development, health and survival of infants.
Diallo, Bell, Moutquine, &Garrant (2005) stated that about 5.6
million infants die annually because they do not receive adequate
nutrition. Breastfeeding therefore has been classified by scientists and
health workers as the best natural food for babies and breast milk
contains all the necessary nutrients for the healthy growth of the
child. The benefits of breastfeeding are numerous ranging from providing
the infant with antibodies, to helping ward off risks of illnesses and
providing the baby with all his/her nutritional needs (Mundi, 2008).
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) (2004), breast milk
provides all the energy and nutrients that the infant needs for the
first six months of life, and it provides about half or more of a
child’s nutritional needs during the second half of the first year, up
to one third during the second year of life. Furthermore, breast milk
not only protects the infant against infectious and chronic diseases,
but also promotes sensory and cognitive development in addition to
contributing to the health and well-being of mothers, helping in birth
spacing, reducing the risks of ovarian and breast cancers as well as
increasing family and national resources (WHO, 2004).
Generally,
breastfeeding is practiced all over the world, though with variation in
duration. Considering that the introduction of other food supplements at
an early age often increase the risks of infections to the infant which
may at times lead to life-threatening conditions such as diarrhoea, the
WHO and United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)(2004),
recommended that infants be exclusively breastfed for six months and,
thereafter, up to 24 months, introducing other supplements to support
the infants growth and development.
In view of the many benefits
afforded by mothers and infants in breastfeeding, governments have also
set goals and rates for breastfeeding practices. The Nigerian government
has earmarked six University Teaching Hospitals as Baby Friendly
Hospital Initiative (BFHI) centres, in Benin, Enugu, Maiduguri, Lagos,
Jos, and Port-Harcourt, with the objective of reducing infant
malnutrition, morbidity and mortality, as well as promoting the health
of mothers. Since the inception of BFHI in 1991, a series of programmes,
seminars, workshops and conferences aimed at promoting breastfeeding
practices have been organized. The BFHI itself has proved to be an
effective method of improving breastfeeding practices worldwide (Salami,
2006). To further strengthen the practice of exclusive breastfeeding,
government also approved a breastfeeding policy in 1998. The code on the
marketing of substitutes of breast milk was reviewed and amended in
May, 1999, to further introduce stiffer fines and a clearer definition
of breast milk substitutes. These measures are aimed at increasing the
rate of exclusive breastfeeding as well as the early initiation of
breastfeeding so as to achieve the World Summit on Children 1990 goal of
universal exclusive breastfeeding for infants up to six months of age
(Mundi, 2008).
These measures notwithstanding, evidence showed that
the practice of exclusive breastfeeding (though fast improving) is still
low in many parts of the world. In Nigeria, the rate increased from 2%
to 20% in infants 0-3 months and from 1% to 8% in infants 4-6 months
between 1990 and 1999 (National Planning Commission (NPC)/UNICEF, 2001).
The Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) (2008), however,
revealed that 97% of Nigerian children under age five were breastfed at
some point in their life. A small proportion of infant (13%) were
exclusively breastfed throughout the first six months of life. More than
seven in ten (76%) children of ages 6-9 months received complementary
foods. 16% ofinfants less than six months of age were fed with a bottle
with nipple, and the proportion bottle fed peaked at 17% among infant in
the age ranges of 2-3 and 4-5 months. However, less than half of
infants (38%) were put to the breast within one hour of birth and only
68% started breastfeeding within the first day. Relatively, among
children born in the five year preceding the survey in Benue State,
showed that 97.8% of children ever breastfed. 64.1% started
breastfeeding within one hour of birth. 90.2% began breastfeeding within
1 day and 38.7% introduce pre-lacteal feed. Only 0.5% children were
exclusively breastfed. These proportions indicate a marginal level of
decline from the 1990, 1991, 1999, 2003 and the 2008 surveys (NDHS,
2008).
These dwindling attitudes regarding the practice of exclusive
and non-exclusive breastfeeding have been attributed to several
socio-economic, cultural and socio-demographic factors as it affects the
development of children. Thus, this research project purposed to
examine the effectiveness of exclusive breastfeeding in the development
of under-five children in Benue State, Nigeria.
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of exclusive breastfeeding in the development of children under-five in Benue State, Nigeria. To achieve this purpose, 10 hospitals were randomly selected using multi-stage sampling technique (simple random, stratified, and purposive sampling techniques). The data was collected using close-ended questionnaire. 500 questionnaires were distributed to nursing mothers who visited antenatal clinics in the randomly selected hospitals, from whi ... Continue reading---
